Ribbon guide for typewriters and the like



latented Mar. 15, 1927.

- ,UNITED STATES CALVIN I. KEPHART, PORTLAND, OREGON.

RIBBON GUIDE FOR TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 12, 1926. Serial No. 101,365.

This invention relates to an adjustable ribbon guide for the ink ribbon of typewriting machines, printing machines, and the like.

In many machines of this nature it is the usual practice to have the ink ribbon wound upon a, spool or bobbin from which it is unwound onto a second spool, the ribbon between the two spools being threaded through a suitable guide member which functions-to maintain the ribbon in coincidence with the point at which the several type bars contact with the roller or printing platen. The ribbon, as thus mounted, is caused to passconstantly and progressively from one spool to the other so that its entire length may be utilized as a source of ink supply. It is usual to employ a ribbon which is several times greater in width than the point of im- 1 pact of thevtype bars, so that, in the absence of somemeans to shift the path of the ribbon from time to time relative to the point of impact of the type bars, onlya small percentage of the total inked surface of the rib-- bon may be utilized. Usually, this percentage is only about 25% of the'total area of the ribbon.

With these facts in mind the invention seeks to provide simple and efficient means for shifting the path of the ribbon with respect to the point of impact of the type'bars so that the entire surface of the ribbon may be utilized.

The invention consists in certain novel and improved features of construction and combinaton of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure: 1 is a side elevation of my inven- 40 tion, a

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same, Figure 3 is a fragmental detail view of one part of the sectional guide stem,-

Figure 4 is a similar view of-the other part of the sectional guide stem,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6. is an enlarged sectional view [being of such relative dimensions as to pertaken on the line 66 ofFigure 2, parts thereof'being broken away;

' Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein likereference numerals designate like parts throughout,

' the numeral 1 indicates the usual type 'b'ar guide p y d am h n s oft i ch r cter. The type guide 1 is rigidlyv secured to a fixed portion of the machine frame 2 and is provided with the usual V-shaped notch 3 at its upper end, said notch designed to receive and guide the type bars into proper position with the line of print. The type guide 1 is usually mounted a slight distance in front of the roller or printing platen (not shown) to provide a space inwhich to mount the usual ribbon guide in order that the ink ribbon may be made to pass between the type guide and the platen.

In the present construction any approved type of ribbon guide per se may be employed, such as shown at 4, but whereas such ribbon guide is usually mounted upon a 1 stem fixed as to length, the present invention contemplates a two-part or sectional stem comprising an upper or guide-carrying portion 5, and. a lower or actuating portion 6. The lower portion 6may be connected to the operating mechanism of the machine (not shown) in the usual manner, to provide for elevating the ribbon guide from a point below the line of print to a point in coincidence therewith each time a type lever is actuated, in order to insure complete visibility of the line of-print across the point at which the type bars engage the platen. This construction is usual in all so-called visible machines and forms no part of the present invention.

The ribbon guide stem sections 5 and 6 are preferably stamped from sheet metal, the lower section 6 being formed with a laterally extending wing 7 provided with a rectangular window or aperture 8. The wing 7 is designed to='be bent upon itself on the lines indicated at 9, 10 and 11, to form a rectangular frame or yoke 12, the aperture 8 of the wing being so positioned therein that when the yoke 12 is formed said window or apertion 5 of the ribbon guide stem is similarly formed with a wing 13 designed to be bent upon itself on lines 14, 15, and 16, to form a second yoke or frame 17 the yokes 12 and 17 mit the'yoke 17 to telescope within the yoke 12, as shown in Figure 5.

the sectional stem portions 5 and 6 will over lie and coincide with each other, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. In order to retain the stem sections 5 and 6 in such overlying relationship, the stem 6 is provided with overlying lugs 18 and 19, said lugs being formed integral with the stem 6, as

shown in Figure 3. By thus forming the stem portions 5 and 6 with the yokes l2 and 17, and lugs 18 and 19, said stem sections may be assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to form a complete ribbon guide and oper said means including a sliding springpressed bolt member 20, and a cooperating rack 21, carried by the yoke members 17 and 12, respectively. As shown in Figure 4, the wing 13, from which the yoke or frame 17 is formed, is provided on that face which ultimately forms the front face of the yoke, with a pair of interior stampings 22. These stampings 22 are upset and inturned, as shown in Figure 6, to

provide an open bolt-receiving channel 23. Within the channel 23 is mounted the bolt 20, said bolt being provided with a springreceiving slot 2st extending therethrough from top to bottom and tapering narrowingly toward the top. A coil spring 25 is housed within the slot, said spring, due to the tapered formation of the slot, being positively prevented from escaping therefrom. The front face of the oke 17 is provided with an upstanding stud or pin 26, said pin extending through the slot 24 of the bolt,

to provide an abutment against which one end of thecoil spring 25 engages. By this construction it is apparent that the spring 25, confined in the slot of the bolt, and engaging the bolt and-pin at its opposite extremities, tends to keep the boltprojected towards the left, as shown in Figure 2. A suitable operating knob 27 is provided at the-end of the bolt for retracting the bolt against the tension of the spring when desired.

The rack 21, designed to cooperate with the bolt 20, is formed in one of the vertical edges of the aperture 8 of the yoke or frame 12, and is positioned relative to the bolt so that the latter, under the action of the spring 25, engages one of the teeth of the rack to maintain the two sections 5 and 6 of the rib bon guide stem in a predetermined adjusted position, v

ribbon to .'supporting stem for theribbon "sections of said stem being provided with the teeth of the rack 21. The stem member 5 is then shifted up or down upon the stem section 6, one or more teeth, as desired, and the bolt then released to again engage a tooth of the rack to retain the parts in their adjusted osition. The range of adjustment of the rib on guide is determined by the vertical dimension of the aperture 8 in the yoke 12, and this is preferably made approximately equal to the width of the ink ribbon so that the ribbon may be shifted sufliciently to bring all portions thereof into line with the point of impact of the type bars.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be seen that I have provided an adjustable ribbon guide for typewriting machines and the like which will ermit the entire area of the ink e utilized. It is to be understood, however, that the foregoing description and illustration are but for the urpose of example only and not as definlng the limits of my invention which are to be determined from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,-

what I claim as new is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a ribbon guide, a sectional supporting stem therefor, the sections of said stem being telescopically arranged, one of said sections being apertured, the wall of said aperture bein rovided with a rack, a bolt member carrie by the other section and being disposed within the aperture of the first section, and spring means ur ing said bolt into engagement with the me to maintain the sections in an adjusted position. Y

2. The combination with a typewriting machine having a type bar ide, of a rib- .bon guide associated therewith, a sectional supporting stem for the ribbon guide, the sections of said stem being provided with telescopically engaged yoke members surrounding said type bar guide, and cooperative means carried by the yoke members for maintaining the sections in an adjusted-p0- sition. 1

.3. The combination with a typewriting machine having a type bar ide, of a ribbon guide associated therewith, a sectional ide, the

telescopically engaged yoke members sur rounding saidtype bar guide, one of said yoke members being provided with an apertyre having aserrated wall, the other of said yoke members carrying a spring pressed bolt disposed within the aperture of said first mentioned yoke and engaging the serrations thereof to maintain the sections in an 5 adjusted position.

4:. A device of the character described comprising a ribbon guide, a sectional supporting stem therefor, the sections of said stem being shiftable with respect -to each 10 other to vary the length of the stem, one of 15 tion and engageable with the rack to retain the sections in an adjusted position, whereby said adjustment may be accomplished from the exposed forward face of the stem,

5. A device of the character described comprising a ribbon guide, a sectional supporting stem therefor, the sections of said stein being arranged in superposed relation and shiftable with respect to each other to vary the length of the stem, one of said sections carrying a yoke member through which the other section extends, said yoke being provided with a rack, and a bolt member carried by said other section and engageable with the rack to retain the section in an adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

- CALVIN I. KEPHART. 

